The New York Yankees opened Spring Training on Sunday, against the Toronto Blue Jays. One Yankee outfielder, Mike Tauchman, found himself in the starting lineup with something to prove.
What You Tauchin’ Bout, Willis?
Mike Tauchman was traded to the Yankees in March 2019, in exchange for southpaw pitcher Philip Diehl. Tauchman instantly broke out, slashing .277/.361/.504 with 13 home runs and a 127 OPS+.
Although he played only 87 games, the Yankees and their fans both saw a future in the left-handed hitter. One of the main reasons for this was not just the bat, but his tremendous defense.
In 2019, Tauchman recorded 18 defensive runs saved, as well as a 14.4 UZR/150 (per Fangraphs). Essentially, the southpaw was elite on both sides of the ball. Of course, it was a short sample size, but many had very high hopes for the outfielder.
However, it seemed to all go by the wayside in 2020.
Will the Real Mike Tauchman Please Stand Up?
The Mike Tauchman that the Yankees saw in 2019 seemed to disappear the following season.
His batting average dipped from .277 to .242, and his on-base percentage dipped from .361 to .342. Most concerning, however, was the dip in slugging and OPS.
Tauchman saw a .504 SLG% in 2019 drop to a .305 mark in 2020. His OPS dropped from .865 to .648, and he failed to hit a single home run across 43 games. He posted an OPS+ of 83, well below the league average of 100.
When the offense went, the defense went with it. His UZR/150 dropped from 14.4 to -11.6, a drastic turnaround (in the wrong direction), and he posted 0 DRS.
Of course, 43 games isn’t a huge sample size. But, as we already discussed, 87 games in 2019 also isn’t a huge sample size either.
So, which Mike Tauchman is the real Mike Tauchman?
Tauchman’s Future in Pinstripes
For much of the offseason, Tauchman still appeared to be locked in the 4th outfielder role. With the Yankees’ negotiations with Brett Gardner seemingly very slow, Tauchman looked to be the guy. But that all changed after Gardner officially re-signed in January.
Now, it appears that “Tauch” is the odd man out, as far as the outfield goes. With a starting three of Frazier-Hicks-Judge, with Gardner on the bench and Giancarlo Stanton likely to see innings in the field as well, it seems as if there simply isn’t room for Mike Tauchman on the roster.
It’s basically impossible to imagine Tauchman making the team over any of the previously mentioned outfielders. Frazier, Hicks, Judge, and Stanton are already solidified in their roles, and Gardner wasn’t resigned to play in the minor leagues.
Of course, there is a 26th man on the roster this year, after they were expanded. However, the Yankees will likely utilize the extra spot to keep somebody such as Derek Dietrich, or Jay Bruce, as a backup infielder and supplement to Tyler Wade. Miguel Andujar is another possibility, but if he can’t receive consistent at-bats, he will probably be better off starting at AAA.
2021: The Year Without Tauch?
So, assuming Tauchman is unable to crack the roster, what will his fate be?
Obviously, his immediate fate would be starting the year at AAA. However, failure to crack the Opening Day roster could spell the end of Tauchman’s tenure in pinstripes.
Simply put, the outfield is too crowded (at the time being) to find him a role. Now, the left-hander could see himself stuck in the Clint Frazier role, coming up and down at various points throughout the year. However, he could also see himself packaged in a trade during the season.
It’s hard to predict, right now, what Tauchman’s fate will be. However, one thing is certain: the outfielder is going to fight tooth and nail to make the team come Opening Day.